The man accused of beating, strangling and stabbing to death a young Boston woman on her way to the gym attempted suicide right before his court hearing today - by trying to rip out his arteries with his hands.

Edwin J. Alemany pleaded not guilty today to the murder of Amy Lord, 24, whose body was found last month in a thickly-wooded area of Hyde Park in Boston.

She was one of the three young women attacked in the same area in a 24-hour period. Alemany is suspected of carrying out all three and has also been charged with one of the attacks.

Self-inflicted: Marks can be seen on Edwin Alemany's neck as he stands in district court during a hearing after his arraignment on Thursday, August 15, 2013, in Boston

Much-loved: The 24-year-old was a high school cheerleader and Bentley University graduate

Suspect: Edwin Alemany is led from district court in Boston after he was arrested on July 25. He was put on suicide watch in jail

Court appearance: Video surveillance from the day of Amy's death shows someone -
purportedly Alemany - pacing back and forth in front of Amy's building
and then forcing her back inside when she came out

Suffolk Assistant District Attorney
John Pappas told the court that Amy left her Dorchester home at 5.30am
to take a bus downtown to go to the gym with a friend, The Boston Globe reported.

But she never made it to the gym.

Alemany is accused of beating her inside her home, forcing her into her
jeep and taking her to five different ATMs to take money out before
brutally murdering her.

Video surveillance shows someone -
purportedly Alemany - pacing back and forth in front of Amy's building
and then forcing her back inside when she came out.

After the murder, officials said Alemany spent $400 in cash on a cellphone and paid some
cellphone bills.

RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

Share

His defense attorney Jeffrey Denner
told the judge today that his client had tried to kill himself by tearing open
arteries with his bare hands, leaving him with self-inflicted scratches
to his neck and arms.

Not guilty pleas to the murder and
kidnapping charges were entered on Alemany’s behalf and he was ordered to be
held without bail.

In the other incidents, a woman was attacked at Andrew Square at
5am on the same day and a third the next day at 12.10am. They both survived.

Friends: Amy Lord, center, was abducted by two men at knife point and stabbed repeatedly before her body was dumped in a wood

Police released this picture of Amy Lord, taken by one of the ATM surveillance cameras as she stepped out of her black Jeep the day she was killed

Last respects: Friends and residents of Wilbraham gather at Gazebo Park for a candlelight vigil for Amy Lord after she died

Donald Lord, Amy Lord’s grandfather, has
said he was devastated at the news of her death.

'If you had a daughter, you would want her to be
like Amy,' he told the Boston Herald. 'She was everything you would want to your daughter
to be.'

She worked as a digital media analyst for Genuine Interactive. The company released a statement saying her death was 'both tragic and shocking'.

'We are taking time to focus on the
well-being of Amy’s family and friends, while trying to come to grips
with the loss of such a vibrant, caring and special young person who had an infectious positive
personality, an ever-present smile and caring nature.'